"April is the cruelest month," wrote the 20th century American poet T.S. Eliot in the opening lines of his magnum opus, "The Waste Land."

With the coming of spring, Eliot implied, all painful sensations of life benumbed by winter are re-awakened. Another reason for his comment, as critics have discerned, is that April is the month of Easter - the time of remembering the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Under the broad umbrella of Christianity, every denomination has its way of celebrating the events in the life of Christ that are linked with Easter. Some churches hold services every day from Maundy or Holy Thursday (which commemorates the Last Supper) to Easter Sunday (which celebrates Christ's resurrection).

"Easter is the time of grace," said Rev. Godwin Xavier at St. Canice Catholic Church in Nevada City. "We believe we get more grace from God by participating in the celebrations. We have more celebrations for Easter than Christmas, because we start on Thursday and it goes on till Sunday evening. We have different rituals. We believe that in participating in those, we have God's grace.

"We believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Without that, we don't have salvation because (the fact that) he rose from the dead signifies He is divine and the Son of God. This historical event is at the center of our religion."

According to Unitarian Universalists, however, Easter has a more symbolic significance.

"Different Universal Unitarians have different points of view on how much of the story is historical," said Joy Atkinson, interim minister at the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains in Grass Valley. "I think it is probably safe to say that most Unitarian Universalists don't believe that Jesus literally got up and walked away. But for many, his life is a model for leading a loving and moral life."

To Atkinson, it is "significant that Easter comes in the springtime when vegetation is renewed and reborn."

"I think the Easter story is certainly about the life of Jesus, but it contains a much older story symbolized by the emergence of new life in spring that speaks about our human ability to create our lives anew after darkness and difficult times," she said.

The Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains celebrates an Easter Sunday morning service, Atkinson said. Some Universalist churches commemorate the Last Supper, but the one in Grass Valley does not.

The Peace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley has an elaborate list of festivities from Maundy Thursday to Sunday morning.

"It (Easter) is, above all else, a celebration of Christ's resurrection," said the Rev. Richard Johnson of the Peace Lutheran Church. "It's also an affirmation of a Christian's new life with Christ. It's also a celebration of Christ's victory over the power of death and evil and therefore our victory, as well."

Johnson said some churches do not celebrate Christ's passion and focus more on the resurrection, probably because "there is a tendency in our culture to downplay what is difficult and challenging and celebrate what is uplifting and joyous."

"But I think some of us have a sense that you can't fully participate in the joy unless you go through the sorrow," he said. "If you look at the theme of the whole week, you can't understand resurrection unless you understand death."

The Truth Worship Center for the Pentecostals in Grass Valley is one of the churches that holds only a Sunday morning service on Easter.

"Easter is a fulfillment of the scripture that leads to the outpouring of the Spirit of God, which is called the Holy Ghost," said the Rev. Richard Atkins. "This is a fulfillment of John 3, where Jesus said you must be born of water and the spirit to enter into the kingdom of God. This gives us a new life filled with the spirit of God."

Atkins pointed out the special importance of Acts 2:38, where St. Peter exhorted repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of one's sins to receive the Holy Ghost.

"We believe that God will speak in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance," Atkins said.

The day of Pentecost - 50 days after Good Friday when the Holy Spirit is believed to have descended on the Apostles and followers of Jesus - therefore is of special significance to Pentecostals.

"It (Easter) is the most significant event in the world that's happened in our view, that being the atonement that Christ made for all mankind," said Layne Christensen, Nevada County ward bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nevada City. "We celebrate Easter, which has two aspects.

"One aspect is that He atoned for the sins of mankind and on the third day He was resurrected, and (the other aspect is) we believe that every person that ever lived will be resurrected. That's a free gift of God."

According to Christensen, followers of his church believe in the historical account of the Bible that Christ suffered for the sins of mankind and provided a path to return to His Father in Heaven. His church will have services for Easter on Sunday.

So which is the best way to celebrate Easter?

Which denomination is doing the right thing?

"What happens on Easter is a mystery because the resurrection is something we cannot comprehend," said Johnson of Peace Lutheran Church. "I don't think there is any one right way to approach it. What we do on Easter is to have an encounter with a living person, not a memorial for a dead person.

"The real point of Easter is for Christ to appear to each believer and to be known in the life of each believer, to (help him or her) recognize that He walks with us even today."

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To contact staff writer Soumitro Sen, e-mail soumitros@theunion.com or call 477-4229.



49er Family Fun Park Easter Egg Hunt

• At 314 Railroad Ave., Grass Valley

• 9-11 a.m., Saturday

• Kids games and egg hunt (ages 10 and under)

• More information: 272-4949



Western Gateway Park Easter Egg Hunt

• Western Gateway Park, Penn Valley Drive

• 8:30 a.m., Saturday

• Chocolate, hot cocoa, baked goods and crafts at 8:30 a.m.; photos with Easter Bunny at 9 a.m. (Ages 2-12); egg hunt at 9:30 a.m. The event is sponsored by the Penn Valley Chamber of Commerce, Penn Valley Rotary and the Penn Valley Lion's Club.

• More information: 432-1802



Moose Lodge Annual Easter Egg Hunt

• At Henry School

• 225 S. Auburn St., Grass Valley

• 10:30 a.m., Saturday

• Magic act, jugglers, stilt walkers, egg hunt (toddlers through age 11)

Easter Egg Hunt & Family Picnic

• At The Salvation Army, • 10725 Alta St., Grass Valley

• 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday

• Free lunch and prizes (Ages 1-12)

• More information: 274-3500



Cascade Shores Womens Club Easter Egg Hunt

• At CS Firehouse on Pasquale Road

• Noon, Saturday

• Games, activities, projects and refreshments. Bring hard boiled eggs to decorate.



Camptonville Easter Egg Hunt

• Camptonville School

• Noon-2 p.m., Saturday

• Egg hunt and mini carnival

• More information: 288-3226